Month: May 2017

The key to preserving hearing is prevention. Once hearing function has been diminished or lost, there is no way to reverse it. Unfortunately many do not realize all of the easy things we can do to protect our hearing while we still have it. Here are a few simple steps to prevent hearing loss and protect your hearing health now, before it’s too late.

Keep the Volume Low

Many people, especially teenagers and young adults, love to listen to music using headphones. The sound quality is great and you can take your music wherever you go! Using these devices, however, make it easy to keep the volume at unsafe levels. This puts 1.1 billion teenagers and young adults at risk for noise-induced hearing loss, according to the World Health Organization.

Protect Your Ears When Loud Noises are Unavoidable

When it’s within your control, adjusting the volume is easy. Sometimes, however, you are in a position that you can’t turn the volume down and a loud noise is unavoidable. Make it a habit of carrying earplugs with you for this inevitable circumstance. Whether you’re at a loud concert, mowing the lawn or are bothered by loud construction work outside your window, ear protection can be the difference in extending your hearing health as long as possible.

Recovery Time is Important

If your ears are exposed to loud noise, especially without protection, give them quiet time to recover. If possible, step outside or away from the noise periodically for 5 minute stretches to give your ears time to rest. Research has found that after one loud night out, our ears need about 16 hours of quiet to recover.

Kick the Cotton Swabs to the Curb

Cotton swabs are a common way for people to clean the wax out of their ears, but doctors do not recommend it. A little bit of wax build-up in your ears serves an important function: wax helps to protect your ears and keep them clean by trapping dust and other particles, preventing them from entering the ear canal. Inserting a cotton swab too deep in the ear canal also risks damaging the ear drum.

Some people do have excess wax, however. If that’s you, a damp towel can gently and effectively clean out the ear canal. Wax removal solution can also be used for severe cases: it softens the wax over a period of a couple of nights, allowing the wax to flow out on its own.

Dry Ears are Happy Ears

When excess moisture is trapped in the ear canal, this can breed bacteria that may cause swimmer’s ear or ear infections. Be sure to towel-dry your ears after bathing or swimming, and if you feel water trapped in your ear, tilt your head to the side and pull on your earlobe to allow the water to flow out. If that doesn’t work, lay down on the offending side for a few minutes. The relaxation and gravity should coax the water out.

If it is an ongoing problem, custom-fit swimmers’ earplugs are also a great option, and are available for both adults and children. Make an appointment to get fitted for a pair today!

Exercise Can Improve Hearing Health

You knew that moving was good for your heart and your waistline, but who knew it was also good for your ears? Cardiovascular exercise such as walking, biking and running increases circulation to all parts of your body, including your ears. And circulation is great for your ears: it keeps them healthy and performing at top levels!

Don’t Stress Out

Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) has been linked to high stress and anxiety, which fill your body with adrenaline. When this happens, your body heat, circulation and nerves take a hit, and this pressure can migrate to your inner ear, causing tinnitus symptoms.

Step Away From the Medicine

Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) such as ibuprophen, naproxen and aspirin have been linked to hearing loss in recent studies. Many people think they are safe because they can be bought without a prescription, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have dangers. Use these medications sparingly, especially if you’ve noticed any decrease in hearing ability when using them.

Have Your Ears Checked Regularly

Regular hearing screenings can make a big difference in catching hearing loss early, and preventing further damage. Hearing loss develops slowly, so yearly check-ups with a hearing professional can let you know as soon as there is an issue.

It’s important to know if you are experiencing a decline in hearing ability, and take steps to prevent further decline, because hearing loss is linked to more serious issues such as dementia, depression and heart disease.

Do your health a favor, and make an appointment at California Hearing Center to check your hearing today!

Are you a socialite? If so, there may be another good reason to have your hearing (or the hearing of a loved one) tested.

A recent study at the University of British Columbia found that seniors who experience hearing loss are more likely to suffer from both social isolation and cognitive impairment. The study at UBC Okanagan looked at seniors between the ages of 60 and 69, and found that for each 10 decibel decrease in hearing ability, social isolation could increase by as much as 52%! This same decrease in hearing ability was also associated with an equivalent of 4 years of aging.

Because social isolation has already been shown to affect mortality rates similarly to consuming alcohol and smoking, hearing impairment can now be seen as a public health issue, and can be taken much more serious than before.

Fortunately, for the entire month of May, California Hearing Center is hosting a FREE Hearing Screening event for May is Better Hearing Month!

In support of May is Better Hearing Month, California Hearing Center invites you to come in for your Free Hearing Screening. When it comes to your hearing health, prevention is still the best medicine! No-obligation.

Every Friday during the month of May
May 5, 12, 19 & 26
9:00 am – 2:30 pm

With aging comes normal changes in hearing, as well as language and speech.

There are ways to maintain good hearing and speech, however. Here are a few ways to keep your hearing in tip-top shape:

Protection Can Prevent Hearing Loss. When participating in loud activities, such as going to a concert, mowing the lawn or spending time building in the shop, those loud noises can damage hearing. Exposing your ears unprotected to 105 decibels for one hour can damage hearing. Always use noise protection, such as earplugs.

How do you know if you are experiencing hearing loss? Do you keep your TV or radio at a level that others say is too loud? Do you often need to turn toward a sound to hear it better? Do you often ask others to repeat what they are saying? Do you have pain or ringing in your ears, or an ear infection?

If any of these is “Yes,” it is a very good idea to have a hearing test with an audiologist to prevent further damage. It is possible to treat hearing loss and stop it in its tracks, so don’t let it impact your daily life.

Speak normally. When in a loud environment, try not to strain your voice by yelling over the noise, because it can cause vocal damage or hearing impairment. Whispering and throat-clearing can also be hard on your vocal cords. If your throat feels dry, drink plenty of fluids.

Over-use of vocal cords can result in trauma and damage, affecting your voice. Polyps, cysts and vocal nodules are all issues related to over-use of the vocal cords in adults. Allergies and acid reflux can also contribute to throat and voice problems. Resting and treating these issues can help to preserve your voice.

Most hearing, speech and language problems can be avoided, especially if issues are identified and treated early.

Fortunately, it is May, and May is Better Hearing Month!

FREE Hearing Screening throughout May at California Hearing Center!

In support May is Better Hearing Month, California Hearing Center invites you to come in for your Free Hearing Screening. When it comes to your hearing health, prevention is still the best medicine! No-obligation.

Every Friday during the month of May
May 5, 12, 19 & 26
9:00 am – 2:30 pm
All ages welcome – No appointment necessary.